The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-05-05

SPARE HAWKS AND OwLS.-Thc
ornith biological division OF the depart
mcnt OF agriculture ut Washington
has boon engaged for some time in an
Of the effect OF the law,
enacted i'm Pennsylvania in 1885,
granting q bounty OF fifty cents q
head on all hawks, owls, weascls and
and minks killed within the
limits of the state. This law was en>
acted for the alleged benefit of the
farmers OF Pennsylvania, and from
the time it first went into effect until
it was repealed n fow weoks ago
something like $780, had been paid
out uudor 1t. The Investigations OF
the department show TINT this sum is
but small fraction OF the direct and
indirect cost OF tho law of the state.
1t was found that there are about
fifteen species of hawks and ows in
the Eastern states or these only
three varieties ever feed on poultry.
Within the past six weeks the depart
ncnt has examined the contents of
the stomaches OF ninety birds killed
in the neighborhood of Washington
In that Of II hawk was found por
ton OF the head OF IA domestic fowl
which might have been tn, Ola
thrown out OF some farmers kitchen
In the stomach of an owl portion
Of II domestic pigeon was discovered
! These two were the only ones among
the ninety in which there was any
indication OF pnrtinlity for poultry
on the part of the hawk and owl
family. Nearly all of the other stom
achs examined contained from one 60
five field mice, ns wei rs a gr cat ma
ny insects which are naturally very
destructive to crops. Upon thi,
showing tho department estimate.
that each hawk and owl is worth
80 per aunum TO the farmers OF
the country. The estimate is based
apon the assumption that every field
nouse not caught will damage crops
to the amount of two cents u year
Tho scientific men OF the department,
who delight in figures, have come to
the conclusion that il every hawk and
owl killed under the PENNSYLVANIA
Icounty law had been allo wed to live
the damage done by them would
have amounted, -ndera worry liberia
estimate, to about $3.50 while the
law was In operation. On the Other
side Of tho account book they charge
up tho $9), 900 paid by the state in
hounties and $40 as the value of sacl
bird killed, and find that from tn,
passage of the act to the date Of il,
repeal the entire cost was S3,S51, ,l30,
besides the damage done in the way
OF increased production Of tho veruli
because OF the depletion In tho rank
Of their natural enemies
While the state of Ponusylvanii
has been trying to get rid OF the
hawks tho general government ha
been busy dsvising ways to max
them more useful. Negotiations hay
been pending for some time betwee
: the chief ornithologist of the depart
/ ucnt of agriculture and II man VIII
u has had great deal Of eyperienc
rs II trainer OF falcons in Europ,
These negotiations are for the pun
pose of securing the services of th
1 use in the rice fields Of South Carc
f lima. The planters there nro clamol
r ing for some method Of Kidding thei
= fields OF rice birds, which play fright
q ful havoc with their crops every yeni
IL has been found that the presenc
! Of living hawk over u field of ric
will cause the immediate departure q
! every bird in the vicinity. Gun,
p drutus and other implements for ere
q ating n great noisrs are only partl
: successful. a stuffed hawk will d
- well enough for n day or two, but tn
deprcdators soon learn that thero
b. lttlo TO fear from II dead enemy.
is Therefore proposed to try the slTec
OF trained birds. 1t is tho purpose q
tho department to begin with sna
number this year, and ii the plaI
! proves successful to tho rice bird pro-
lem it is likely that every rice plante
In the South will DO supplied in tn
r near future with flock OF falcons.